Write a note on plot summary of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

 

Q.07. Write a note on plot summary of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

 

Ans:    The novel tells the story of a family, the Bennet family, who is form by Mr. Bennet; his wife who is primarily concerned with her family’s fortunes; and their five daughters. The youngest is Lydia; the eldest Jane; Elizabeth Bennet who is the narrator of the story and the second-eldest; and finally, Mary and Kitty.

 

The narrative opens with Mr Bingley, a wealthy, charming and social young bachelor, moving into Netherfield Park in the neighbourhood of the Bennet family. Mr Bingley is soon well received, while his friend Mr Darcy makes a less favorable first impression by appearing proud. Mr Bingley singles out Jane for particular attention, and it soon becomes apparent that they have formed an attachment to each other, though Jane does not alter her conduct for him, confessing her great happiness only to Elizabeth. By contrast, Darcy slights Elizabeth, who overhears and jokes about it despite feeling a budding resentment.

 

On paying a visit to Mr Bingley’s sister, Caroline, Jane is caught in a heavy downpour, catches cold, and is forced to stay at Netherfield for several days. Elizabeth arrives to nurse her sister and being there she is frequently with the company of  Mr Darcy, who begins to act  less coldly towards her.

 

One day, Mr Collins, a clergyman, pays a visit to the Bennets. It soon becomes apparent that Mr Collins has come to Longbourn to choose a wife from among the Bennet sisters (his cousins) and Elizabeth has been singled out. At the same time, Elizabeth forms an acquaintance with Mr Wickham, a militia officer who claims to have been very seriously mistreated by Mr Darcy, despite having been a ward of Mr Darcy’s father. This tale, and Elizabeth’s attraction to Mr Wickham, fuels her dislike of Mr Darcy.

 

At a ball given by Mr. Bingley at Netherfield, Mr. Darcy becomes aware of a general expectation that Mr. Bingley and Jane will marry. The family Bennet in this part of the narrative with the exception of Jane and Elizabeth, make a public display of poor manners and decorum. The following morning, Mr. Collins proposes marriage to Elizabeth, who refuses him, much to her mother’s distress. Mr. Collins recovers and promptly becomes engaged to Elizabeth’s close friend Charlotte, a homely woman with few prospects. Mr. Bingley abruptly quits Netherfield and returns to London, devastating Jane, and Elizabeth becomes convinced that Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley have induced him to separate him from Jane.

 

In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins in Kent. Elizabeth and her hosts are frequently invited to Rosings Park, home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy’s aunt. Elizabeth meets Darcy’s cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who vouches for Darcy’s loyalty, using as an example how Darcy had recently stepped in on behalf of a friend, who had formed an attachment to a woman who had no affection for him and cared solely for his money. Elizabeth is astonished to discover that said friend was none other than Mr. Bingley, and her dislike of Darcy hardens further. Thus she is of no mood to accept when Darcy arrives and, quite unexpectedly, confesses love for her and begs her hand in marriage. Elizabeth rebukes him, and a heated discussion follows; she charges him with destroying her sister’s happiness, with treating Mr. Wickham disgracefully, and with having conducted himself towards her in an arrogant, ungentleman-like manner. Mr. Darcy, shocked, ultimately responds with a letter giving a good account of his actions: Wickham had exchanged his legacies for a cash payment, only to return after gambling away the money to reclaim the forfeited inheritance; he then attempted to run away with Darcy’s young sister Georgianna, thereby to capture her fortune. Regarding Jane, Darcy claims he had observed no reciprocal interest in Jane for Bingley, which combined with Mrs Bennet’s ongoing excitement over Mr. Bingley’s financial prospects led him to conclude that Jane’s interest was solely in his wealth. Elizabeth, who had previously despaired over these very behaviors, is forced to admit the truth of Mr. Darcy’s observations, and begins to wonder whether she has misjudged him.

 

Elizabeth tells her father that Darcy was responsible for uniting Lydia and Wickham. Some months later, Elizabeth and her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner visit Pemberley, Darcy’s estate, believing he will be absent for the day. He returns unexpectedly, and though surprised, he is gracious and welcoming. He treats the Gardiners with great civility; he introduces Elizabeth to his sister, and Elizabeth begins to realise her attraction to him. Their reacquaintance is cut short, however, by news the news that Lydia has run away with Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth and the Gardiners return to Longbourn, where Elizabeth grieves that her renewed acquaintance with Mr. Darcy will end because of her sister’s disgrace.

Lydia and Wickham are soon found, then married by the clergy; they visit Longbourn, where Lydia lets slip that Mr. Darcy was responsible for finding the couple and negotiating their marriage, at great personal and monetary expense. Elizabeth is shocked but is unable to dwell further on the topic due to Mr. Bingley’s return and subsequent proposal to Jane, who immediately accepts.

 

Lady Catherine de Bourgh later bursts in on Longbourn; intending to thwart local rumour, she warns Elizabeth against marrying Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth refuses her demands. Disgusted, Lady Catherine leaves and drops by to inform her nephew on Elizabeth’s abominable behaviour. However, this lends hope to Darcy that Elizabeth’s opinion of him may have changed. He travels to Longbourn and proposes again, and this time, his pride and her prejudice done away with, Elizabeth accepts.